Running Belts, Gratitude and Influencers - read all about it.
What a world we have built.
Hello and welcome back to yet another musing. I almost gave up on writing anything and decided to just begin typing whatever came to mind. I thought about a weekly round up of things I have seen online, that would include an article about the rise of running belts vs. vests. Interesting topic I guess. Or another option was my gratitude for the support and actual community we have built here at Flowerboy. A third option was based on another article I read that was saying how run club leaders are the new influencer, how social currency is becoming more valuable. Read along as we chime in on all these topics.
Running Belts vs a Vest -
I will link the article which is very in depth and worth a read if you have time or interest. I think there is a place for both and whatever people wear to encourage them to go for a run is free game. Only real thing I would suggest through my own experience is taking the time to find something that fits properly to reduce bounce and minimize chafing.
Vest - the less bounce the better, also if you aren’t going out for hours on end I would suggest something smaller ( 5 L ) because if you have the space you will likely fill it with unnecessary items.
While wearing a vest for a 5 k run might seem like overkill to some, who gives a shit. If you want to bring a book or lucky rock then go for it.
Belt - the most accessible option for a daily belt is probably one from NAKED, there is a lot of simple options on tokopedia aswel. - I would say size down a little as they tend to stretch out over time and this means more bounce. A vest will hold most things you need for a run. Soft flask, keys, phone, some snacks. While more heavy duty trail specific belts can hold much more if you have a bit of a mission ahead of you. These are more lowkey and allow a bit more freedom and if you are running here in Bali a lot less hot compared to a vest.
Both have their place and when combined offer the ability to go far and know you have enough to get you home. Feel free to drop some questions and read the article below if you want to go deeper.
Gratitude -
Still buzzing over the support we had on our run in Bandung. The thing I’m most proud of is the support from the Indonesians. From my experience the locals are super welcoming and to be able to give back to them is something special. Community is such a big part of their culture and to have them recognize and want to be part of what we have going on is such a blessing. We have a lot to learn from them.
Furthermore the relationships, friendships and progression we get to witness over the past couple years makes every early morning worthwhile. To see people in the wild wearing our merch with such pride is amazing. To see strangers run together and then create lasting friendships is something that keeps me coming back. To have a global connection of friends to run with and share life experiences with holds such high value for us.
Thank you! If you showed up once or haven’t missed a run club we see you, appreciate you and hope to be able to continue offering you guys memorable events and experiences for a long time to come.
Influence -
As we continue to work with global brands and have more opportunity the more I see the value in what we have created. Integrity is the key to holding onto this special thing we have going on. We will always do our best to keep the runs about running and never allow promotion or collaborations that don’t align with our community values.
I hope more established brands can see the direct influence we have on this culture of running. Not going to go too in depth on this topic just know we value you showing up and helping us be able to attract more and more partnerships with incredible brands. We will continue to give back as much as we can and shine as much light as possible on the local talents and culture.
That’s it for this week, hope you can take something from it. Read a couple of the articles Ive linked and hope to catch you for a run and coffee soon!
-FB
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